Kerala rape: Probe has entered a crucial stage, says ADGP

Kochi: A week after the brutal rape and murder of a 30-year-old law student in Ernakulam, Kerala Police on Friday said the incident appears to be a 'planned one' and its probe has entered a 'crucial stage'.

"Investigation is going through a crucial stage. It appears to be a planned murder and not an un-premeditated," Additional Director General of Police K Padmakumar, who is supervising the probe by the SIT comprising experts from the state police, told reporters.

He said the investigation is on the 'right track', but refused to say about the arrest of the culprits. The Kerala High Court on Friday observed that no interference is warranted at this stage in the probe by state police's SIT in the case and adjourned the hearing on a PIL seeking CBI investigation in the case till May 30.

A vacation bench, comprising Justices AM Shaffique and K Ramakrishnan, also observed that the investigators cannot be guided by media reports.

3 youths held in Varkala rape case

Thiruvananthapuram: Police yesterday arrested three persons in connection with the gangrape of a 19-year-old nursing student in Varkala on May 3. The accused have been identified as Safeer (25), Saiju (21) and Rasheed (20), Thiruvananthapuram Superintendent of Police (Rural) Shefeen Ahmed K told reporters.